Chapter Summaries

Xia Yan narrowly avoided investigating a chilling presence when Jiang Peizhen took her to bed. Meanwhile, Mu Cheng and Cao Feng followed three sleepwalking women from the base and discovered that green snakes emerging from their mouths caused them to rapidly decay into skeletons.

• Xia Yan prepared to use the Straw Spirit Blood Curse against a chilling presence, but Jiang Peizhen appeared, and the danger vanished.
• Jiang Peizhen took Xia Yan to sleep in her room, so Xia Yan postponed investigating until daytime.
• Mu Cheng’s motion-detecting cameras revealed women heading toward an abandoned factory, and he summoned Cao Feng to investigate.
• Mu Cheng and Cao Feng followed a car carrying three sleepwalking women out of the base, then Cao Feng pursued the women into the woods.
• Green snakes crawled from the women’s mouths, bit them, and disappeared into the grass as the women rapidly rotted.
• Mu Cheng arrived to find the women reduced to skeletons and asked Cao Feng what had happened.

Xia Yan secretly entered Ye Lan’s room and discovered Ye Qing, who revealed that a Divine Medicine had saved her life but transformed her body and changed her brother. Meanwhile, Cao Feng and Mu Cheng followed Ye Lan out of Jiayuan Base, where he confronted them; Xia Yan’s account left the nature of Ye Lan’s changes and the missing personnel unresolved.

• Xia Yan entered Ye Lan’s room with thermal-imaging sunglasses and found a foul smell coming from the bedroom.
• Ye Qing appeared and warned Xia Yan to leave the bar and the base, then admitted that her brother’s Divine Medicine had changed her.
• Cao Feng and Mu Cheng tracked Ye Lan’s car out of Jiayuan Base and found him waiting in the wilderness.
• Ye Lan spotted Cao Feng and Mu Cheng hiding nearby and invited them to come out.
• Xia Yan told Bai? and Luo Yan that the Divine Medicine had made Ye Qing cold-blooded, scaly, and dependent on raw small animals, while Ye Lan had become unlike her brother.

Cao Feng and Mu Cheng confronted Ye Lan outside the base and discovered that his body was made of small black snakes and could regenerate after being cut apart. After Xia Yan revealed what she knew about Ye Lan’s strange behavior and his use of people to obtain Divine Medicine, Luo Yan and Bai? arrived, and Bai? suspected Ye Lan had a connection to the Heavenly Ghost bloodline.

• Cao Feng and Mu Cheng questioned Ye Lan about the missing woman and the three customers who died after visiting Twin Flower Bar, then Cao Feng cut off Ye Lan’s arm.
• Ye Lan’s severed arm turned into small black snakes that re-formed into a new arm, shocking Cao Feng and Mu Cheng.
• Xia Yan told Luo Yan and Bai? that Ye Lan had used people to obtain Divine Medicine for Ye Qing and had begun shedding his skin.
• Cao Feng and Mu Cheng fought Ye Lan, but his body repeatedly transformed into snakes and regenerated after their attacks.
• Luo Yan drove into Ye Lan and sent him crashing into trees, but Ye Lan’s body reset itself.
• Bai? got out of the car, saw Ye Lan recover, and asked whether he was of the Heavenly Ghost bloodline.

Luo Yan and the others confronted Ye Lan, a Heavenly Ghost blood descendant who had accepted a transformation to save his sister, Ye Qing. After Ye Lan revealed his monstrous Serpent Transformation Stance, Luo Yan left the fight to the newly arrived Dragonriders, and Ye Lan lunged at Xia Yan.

• Luo Yan rammed Ye Lan with the car, then used Divine Treasure to identify him as a Heavenly Ghost blood descendant capable of Serpent Transformation Stance.
• Ye Lan refused Luo Yan’s offer to cooperate, insisting he would do anything to keep his sister alive, while Xia Yan told him that Ye Qing did not want to live as a monster.
• Ye Lan admitted he had tried to abduct Xia Yan the night before and transformed into a snake-like creature with poisoned hook and sickle weapons.
• Luo Yan withdrew with Bai? and told the Dragonriders they had to face Ye Lan themselves; Cao Feng and Mu Cheng reacted to the danger as Xia Yan trembled with fear.
• Ye Lan sensed Xia Yan’s fear and swam toward her.

Xia Yan’s protective alternate personality, Xia Yu, emerged to fight Ye Lan alongside Cao Feng and Mu Cheng. After Xia Yu’s Curse Needles paralyzed Ye Lan and Cao Feng cut off his head, Ye Lan exploded into a cloud of venomous Blood Mist that engulfed Cao Feng.

• Luo Yan explained that Xia Yan’s alternate personality, Xia Yu, was likely to appear when Ye Lan attacked.
• Xia Yu cut her palm and used the Straw Spirit Blood Curse against Ye Lan, then agreed not to attack anyone after Bai? brought out Dan Niang.
• Cao Feng and Mu Cheng attacked Ye Lan together, with Mu Cheng blocking a Poison Hook and pinning Ye Lan’s tail with his sword.
• Xia Yu grabbed one of the small black snakes making up Ye Lan’s body and used Curse Needles to paralyze him.
• Cao Feng chopped off Ye Lan’s head, but Ye Lan’s body swelled and exploded into venomous Blood Mist that rushed over Cao Feng.

After Ye Lan’s death, Luo Yan returned to Jiayuan Base and found that Ye Qing had also died, leaving the team with no direct witness to the Heavenly Ghost. Their investigation uncovered no useful leads, while the Heavenly Ghost recalled trading with Ye Lan and spoke with amusement about human emotions beside the docile Mingshe.

• Mu Cheng shielded the team from Ye Lan’s poisonous Blood Mist, and Luo Yan burned it away after confirming Ye Lan had died.
• Luo Yan praised the team’s cooperation and led them back to Jiayuan Base, where they learned Ye Qing had died and her body had melted away.
• Luo Yan decided the team would investigate Ye Lan’s movements, then searched the siblings’ room and used Insightful Silver Eyes to view their memories without finding clues about the Heavenly Ghost.
• After several days of investigation produced no useful information, Luo Yan took the team back to the Strategic Affairs Department.
• The Heavenly Ghost remembered trading with Ye Lan for his terminally ill sister and mocked human emotions as the Mingshe rested docilely beside the girl in green.

In Datian Town, Qing Lian visited Luo San’s teahouse after one of her agents died and chose a replacement from his list of candidates. She collected the Snake Pills made from her agents’ victims and left town, intent on surviving without attracting notice.

• Qing Lian arrived at Luo San’s teahouse and told him that an agent had died.
• Qing Lian asked Luo San for candidate names and the Snake Pills his agents had collected.
• Qing Lian crushed a pill, revealing a green snake, and Luo San silently feared the human lives behind the pills.
• Qing Lian selected a candidate to receive her Blood of the Green Serpent, rejecting Luo San’s suggestion to recruit more agents because she feared drawing danger to herself.
• Qing Lian reflected on how she had built a covert network through Luo San and left Datian Town, saying she wanted only to survive.

After reporting the Twin Flower Bar findings, Luo Yan learned that his squad would be assigned to guard the Great Wall-01 Base. While analyzing another symbol on the Ancient Sword Shadow, he witnessed a vision of a mysterious figure slaying countless beasts with one sword and emerged with new insights into swordsmanship.

• Luo Yan briefed Bai Shaotang on the mission and handed over the ledger from Twin Flower Bar for investigation.
• Bai Shaotang told Luo Yan that his squad would guard Great Wall-01 Base after a few days of rest.
• Luo Yan used Insightful Silver Eyes to analyze a symbol on the Ancient Sword Shadow and saw a vision of a radiant figure driving back and slaying countless beastly shadows with one sword.
• Luo Yan saw a slender woman with a chilling light on her forehead behind the beasts, and the Vermilion Fire Jiaolong restored his body temperature after frost covered him.
• Luo Yan concluded that the sword strike had reached the Dao and went to the Training Hall to consolidate his insights.

Ji Ying and Gao Zhi questioned whether Luo Yan was qualified to captain the squad guarding the Great Wall-01 base, then decided to test his capabilities. On his way to Misty Canyon, Luo Yan visited Di Zheng in Guangling City, where they shared a late-night meal and talked about his mission.

• Ji Ying and Gao Zhi reviewed Luo Yan's appointment and questioned whether his age and experience were sufficient for the captaincy.
• Gao Zhi found that Luo Yan had reached the Profound Comprehension Realm and had helped kill an Overlord Giant Beast, but still doubted his crisis-management experience.
• Ji Ying agreed to have Luo Yan handle a matter to prove his ability to take responsibility for the base's security.
• Luo Yan surprised Di Zheng at his apartment with a roast chicken, and Di Zheng invited him upstairs for supper and liquor.
• Luo Yan told Di Zheng he was heading to Misty Canyon to take over the Mecha Squad guarding the Great Wall Plan base.

Luo Yan arrived at the still-under-construction Great Wall-01 Base and met Chief of Staff Gao Zhi. Gao asked him to immediately recover a stolen supply shipment and eliminate the armed group Vulcan Security.

• Luo Yan and his team reached Great Wall-01 Base, where he considered applying for a Divine General for Xiao Bai after the mission.
• Yang Qi escorted Luo Yan through the base, showing him its construction sites, facilities, training grounds, and temporary barracks.
• Luo Yan met Gao Zhi and handed over his appointment letter.
• Gao Zhi explained that Vulcan Security occupied Misty Canyon, possessed old-model mechas, and had previously resisted a military operation.
• Gao Zhi asked Luo Yan to recover the supplies Vulcan Security had seized and destroy the organization.

Luo Yan accepted a mission to eliminate Vulcan Security, an armed group that held civilians as shields, and planned how to protect them while attacking. After studying intelligence supplied by Yang Qi, the Earthly Hero Squad set out with a team from the base, leaving their mechs behind.

• Gao Zhi told Luo Yan that Gu Mingjie led Vulcan Security and that the group used civilians as shields, and Luo Yan assigned the mission to the Earthly Hero Squad.
• Ji Ying said Luo Yan's handling of the mission would show whether he could shoulder the responsibilities of a captain.
• Luo Yan gathered the squad, recognized that the mission could be a test of his leadership, and explained that protecting the civilians was the main challenge.
• Yang Qi delivered intelligence on Vulcan Security and warned Luo Yan that the information might be incomplete.
• The next day, the Earthly Hero Squad set out with a team brought by Yang Qi, without piloting their mechs.

Luo Yan returned from the mission after rescuing the civilians, capturing Vulcan Security’s mechs, and persuading most of the organization to surrender. Ji Ying learned how Luo Yan had taken control of Vulcan Security and placed its mechs and pilots under his management.

• Ji Ying and Gao Zhi wondered why Luo Yan had left the Earthly Hero Squad’s mechs at the base as the team headed toward Vulcan Security’s camp.
• Gao Zhi told Ji Ying that Yang Qi had escorted the civilians back and that Vulcan Security’s mechs were on their way to the base.
• Gao Zhi revealed that all of Vulcan Security except its leader, Gu Mingjie, had surrendered and wanted to work at the base.
• Luo Yan explained that Xiao Bai used Black Wound to conceal him while he infiltrated Vulcan Security’s headquarters and killed Gu Mingjie, then had Gu Mingyuan take over and order the organization to surrender.
• Ji Ying praised Luo Yan’s decision to preserve Vulcan Security as a source of workers and allies, and assigned the organization’s mechs and pilots to him.
• Ji Ying and Gao Zhi remarked that Luo Yan’s approach of killing the leader and installing a replacement was unconventional.

Hong Zhuang prepared a serpent-shaped design that she planned to activate with Human Race blood, while arranging for a girl named Hong Shang to impersonate her. Hong Shang presided over the Heaven Worship Ceremony and saw a vast design beneath the platform, as Huo Wa arrived with a group of laborers.

• Hong Zhuang finished creating a huge serpent-shaped design in the Empress Temple and said she needed Human Race blood to activate it and open the Nameless Void.
• Hong Zhuang approved a girl trained to imitate her and ordered her to take the name Hong Shang and appear in her place.
• Zheng Jie told Hong Shang she would impersonate Hong Zhuang at the Heaven Worship Ceremony the next day, and Hong Shang wept with relief after he left.
• The townspeople watched a bridal sedan carry Hong Shang from Yi Town toward the ceremony, praising Empress Hong Shang for protecting them from giant beasts.
• Hong Shang stepped onto the high platform and saw a huge design spread across the ground below it.
• Huo Wa, one of the young laborers previously provided to Zheng Jie, hurried to catch up with his coworker.

Huo Wa and the other workers unknowingly powered a Heaven Worship Ceremony that used human blood to activate a hidden mechanism. Hong Zhuang’s ritual succeeded, and the ceremony ended with a thunderous blast as Hong Shang returned to the temple.

• Huo Wa and the workers were ordered to pedal chained contraptions at the ceremony site, while bloodstained trucks entered and left the platform.
• Huo Wa saw what looked like a person gripping a truck, but a middle-aged worker dismissed his concern.
• The workers’ pedaling activated a mechanism that sent blood through channels and into trenches beneath the platform.
• Hong Shang saw the complex pattern fill with blood as Hong Zhuang revealed she was using the offerings’ blood to open the Nameless Void.
• A small red snake emerged from the blood and burned away, after which the blood darkened and sank into the soil.
• A thunderous boom startled the crowd, and Hong Shang declared the ceremony complete before Zheng Jie ordered her escorted back to the temple.

Huo Wa found a severed finger while cleaning the sacrificial grounds and realized the sacrifices might not be livestock, leaving him determined to escape. Meanwhile, Captain Luo Yan watched Gu Mingyuan lead a mech squad to kill a Ba Serpent and ask how they had performed.

• Huo Wa uncovered a severed finger with a silver ring in the bloodstained soil, and Uncle Li Gen told him to keep quiet about it.
• Huo Wa questioned whether the sacrifices were people and resolved to leave the grounds.
• Captain Luo Yan and Gu Mingyuan's squad fought a Ba Serpent with older-model mechs.
• Gu Mingyuan directed the squad to target the Ba Serpent's seventh vertebra, and Wang Xiang shattered it after the serpent was stunned.
• Gu Mingyuan reported the Ba Serpent's defeat to Captain Luo Yan and asked how the squad had performed.

Luo Yan judged that Gu Mingyuan’s Vulcan Security team could be useful and returned to Great Wall-01 Base, where he ordered routine patrols. During a patrol, Cao Feng and Mu Cheng detected abnormal spatial energy as Jambu Realm Space began to open.

• Gu Mingyuan warned Wang Xiang to respect Luo Yan and adapt to their new unit, then regretted that his brother had once tried to seize supplies from Luo Yan’s group.
• Luo Yan assessed the Vulcan Security cultivators and told the base to handle recovery work after the giant serpent hunt.
• Luo Yan returned to the barracks, spoke with Deputy Captain Bai, and learned that Xia Yan was cultivating while Cao Feng and Mu Cheng were patrolling.
• Cao Feng and Mu Cheng joked over a private call before their Giant Beast Radars warned that Jambu Realm Space was about to open.
• Mu Cheng reported the warning to the base as Cao Feng watched a black beam of light extend southwest across the night sky.

Cao Feng and Mu Cheng returned to base after the Jambudvipa Rift appeared to fade, and discussed their different reasons for joining the Dragon Riders. The rift later opened near Great Wall-01 Base, and during the next day's patrol, Luo Yan's squad received a Giant Beast Radar alarm.

• Cao Feng told Mu Cheng that he wanted to become an Earthly Department Dragon Rider Captain and fight Heavenly Ghosts, while Mu Cheng said he hoped to save money and retire.
• The Jambudvipa Rift spread southwest of Great Wall-01 Base, formed a vast black plane and funnel, and released a white Giant Ape at dawn.
• Luo Yan assigned Xiao Bai and Xia Yan to patrol with him while Cao Feng and Mu Cheng stayed at base to cultivate and Gu Mingyuan's squad remained on standby.
• Luo Yan led the three mecha to a security outpost east of Great Wall Base and called for a ten-minute rest.
• The Giant Beast Radar alarm sounded, and Luo Yan hurried back into the cockpit.

After Xia Yan and the Dragonrider squad encountered an unusual number of giant beasts, Great Wall Base discovered a Nameless Void opening southwest of the base. With the threat of Heavenly Ghosts looming, the base ordered an evacuation and Captain Luo Yan's team returned to help protect it.

• Xia Yan killed a Giant Ape, and then Vice Captain Bai killed two more giant beasts as additional signals appeared on the radar.
• Ji Ying and Gao Zhi saw a Black Funnel emerge over a forest, where a Giant Bird flew out of the Nameless Void.
• Ji Ying recognized the Nameless Void and ordered Gao Zhi to recall Captain Luo Yan while he contacted Commander Bai.
• Captain Luo Yan ordered his team back to base and alerted the other mecha teams to prepare for battle.
• The Strategic Affairs Department ordered the base personnel to evacuate, and Captain Luo Yan's team was assigned to defend the evacuation of people and supplies.

Mech Masters deployed from Great Wall-01 Base to the Third Alert Zone, where they encountered an upper-tier Two-headed Bird. Yao Yuan arrived and killed it with a single strike, leaving Gu Mingyuan and the others stunned by the Divine General mecha’s power.

• Gu Mingyuan and the other Mech Masters deployed after the base ordered them to rendezvous with Captain Luo Yan, while Wang Xiang and the others discussed escaping if the situation worsened.
• Cao Feng looked forward to fighting a powerful beast, while Mu Cheng promised himself he would survive and return to his family.
• The Twenty-one mechas reached the Third Alert Zone, where the Giant Beast Radar identified a descending Two-headed Bird as an upper-tier Level 2 beast.
• Gu Mingyuan froze when he recognized the Two-headed Bird as the beast that had nearly killed him two years earlier.
• Yao Yuan appeared amid Vermilion Heavenly Fire and split the Two-headed Bird in half with Dragon Elephant, killing it before landing among the mechas.

Luo Yan killed the Two-headed Bird with one sword strike, then organized the Mech Masters to defend the base while its evacuation continued. As the first wave of Giant Beasts arrived, the teams engaged them and Cao Feng charged out to confront the stealth-specialized Taotie.

• Luo Yan swiftly killed the Two-headed Bird, astonishing Cao Feng, Gu Mingyuan, and the other Mech Masters.
• Luo Yan ordered the Mech teams to form a defensive line, while Ji Ying said the base evacuation would take three to five hours and promised command support.
• The Giant Beast Radar detected the first wave, and Luo Yan assigned Cao Feng to the Taotie while the other Mech Masters targeted the Lower-tier beasts.
• The Mech teams shot down charging Lili and attacked the Si-beasts’ exposed hooves to cripple them.
• Cao Feng charged out in Mad Saber with Mu Cheng’s essence-force armor blessing and used Manifestation Bullets to reveal the Taotie in colored smoke.